Airport begins to receive weekly flights

The airport on St Helena has begun to receive weekly flights from South Africa. There are hopes that this development will increase tourism on the island, and boost its economy.

Before the airport was built St Helena was only accessible via a boat journey from Africa which covered thousands of miles and took weeks to complete. This made it difficult for people to reach the island. The building of an airport on the island did not initially solve this problem, as dangerous wind conditions delayed the start of regular flights.

Now, with the introduction of weekly flights, islanders and tourists alike can more easily reach St Helena. This increased flow of visitors could provide a much-needed boost to the island’s economy.

Tourists can, among other things, go diving, visit the various sites paying homage to St Helena’s long and varied history, or experience a tour of downtown Jamestown with guide Basil George.

A recent visitor to the island was a journalist from The Associated Press, a global online news platform based in New York City.